With winter approaching many businesses will soon be spending more on lighting and heating costs to maintain comfortable workplaces for their employees. However, by taking a few simple cost savings measures, business owners and leaders can reduce those bills, save some money, and perhaps reinvest those savings back into their companies.

Virginia Energy Sense (VES), a program of the State Corporation Commission (SCC), is here to help citizens and businesses across the commonwealth save energy and save on their energy bills by providing tips to reduce energy consumption.

Over the last several months, VES has been educating citizens across the state about the impact simple measures can have on the bottom line, things like replacing furnace filters, checking for air leaks and using energy-efficient light bulbs.

Here at the SCC headquarters in Richmond, we have embarked on a new energy-saving project of our own, which will help our bottom line. We have replaced many old incandescent light bulbs in elevators, corridors, conference rooms and stairwells with newer, more energy efficient LED lights. The ultimate goal is to replace all incandescent bulbs throughout the building. For the bulbs we’ve replaced thus far, we estimate our savings each year to be about $6,350.

Businesses across the state can follow the SCC’s lead by making a few small changes in how they manage their energy consumption, saving money and allowing them to have extra capital to reinvest in their business.

To further raise awareness about ways to save energy and how to use those savings, we recently released a public service announcement encouraging Virginians to take steps to value their power, save energy, and enjoy the benefits of doing so by having extra money to save or spend elsewhere. This PSA features shots of Virginians at some top state tourism destinations literally enjoying the benefits of using their energy savings elsewhere -- like on surfing, kayaking or a trip to the mountains.

To further enhance our education campaign, we're introducing a new spokesman for our campaign: Jack.

You might know Jack already -- he's looking out from behind your coffee maker, next to your computer and underneath your floor lamp. In our new online video series, Jack spits out the plug and provides energy tips, including unplugging unused appliances and turning off lights and devices that aren’t in use. Follow the link to meet and learn more about Jack [link-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUEtV-d0pYo].

Photographs & images, on this page, and on this website, are not available for use by other publications, blogs, individuals, websites, or social media sites.For this and other business stories on Annandale see theENDEAVOR News Magazine.

Andy Farmer is the education resource manager for the State Corporation Commission and leads the Virginia Energy Sense program. Virginia Energy Sense is a program committed to helping Virginians meet a statewide goal of reducing energy use by 10 percent from 2006 levels by 2020.